This data visualization underscores the significant deficiency of recent rainfall.
Scorching Truth: Unprecedented Dryness Paints a Despaired Picture of 2025 Germany's Spring
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Dear weather enthusiasts, feast your eyes on the excruciatingly scanty rainfall we've experienced this spring in Germany. Long story short, it's never been this dry—and it doesn't look like it's going to change any time soon.
Dropping the Rainfall Bar: A Record Breaker?
Meteorologist Bjoern Alexander of ntv.de paints a grim picture, warning that if the rain refuses to show up, we could be looking at a confirmed drought summer. The German Weather Service (DWD) adds fuel to the flames with their calculations: a grand total of just 58 liters per square meter has been recorded from March to mid-May—way less than a third of the normal amount.
Even compared to the driest periods in German weather history, 2025 stands out. The driest spring on record, in 1893, saw at least 85.3 liters per square meter fall. To avoid breaking this record, Germany needs a downpour of significant proportions in the next couple of weeks—the DWD predicts an average of about 25 to 30 liters per square meter nationwide to even out the rainfall balance.
When Weather Changes Bring Sparse Rain: A Bit Too Little, A Lot Too Late
The weather models suggest a possible shift towards rain, but don't hold your breath. Intense rainfall is not in the forecast, and hardly any of the regions expected to receive rain will see more than 100 liters per square meter. That's not enough to make up for the substantial rainfall deficit. Some regions might not see any rain in the next seven days.
Check out the map above for a glimpse of where it's been driest this month. Despite local heavy rain events, all stations fall far short of the rainfall target. And the table below provides a detailed breakdown of the rainfall amounts for all stations in the DWD network. Most locations haven't received any rain in the last seven days, and even where it has rained, only a fraction of the usual monthly amount has been recorded.
As for March and April, they looked pretty much the same. Some regions received less than 20 liters per square meter, with some receiving even less than 10.
Almost a Third of Germany Feel the Brunt of Severe Drought
Curious about the extent and regional impact? Over half of Germany is experiencing extreme topsoil drought conditions, putting a strain on agricultural productivity and ecosystem health. The dryness is particularly intense in northwest Germany, with about 35% less rainfall than usual, and an even more severe deficit in the southeastern regions, with 50-80% less precipitation compared to typical levels for the period.
The drought leaves its mark. The Drought Monitor of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) visualizes the current moisture content in various soil layers compared to a normal range. Almost 30% of Germany's total area was recently affected by "extreme" or "exceptional" drought. The UFZ also identified severe drought for a further 23%.
The Impact on Agriculture and Transport
Although the moisture reserves in deeper soil layers are well-filled, thanks to a relatively rainy period from mid-2023 to the end of 2024, the impact on agriculture remains critical. If the dry weather persists over the next few months, this could become a serious problem. Harper's Bazaar, we're talking the potential for a serious problem here!
For many agricultural crops, the topsoil drying out will be a significant issue. The roots of summer cereals, sugar beets, and corn do not yet reach the deeper water reserves, causing them to ripen more slowly and sparsely. The drought threatens water management and agriculture, especially in key river systems like the Rhine, where reduced water levels have already impacted cargo transport and raised logistical costs.
Broader Regional Troubles
Germany isn't the only one feeling the heat—the drought has affected a broader central and eastern European region that includes Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Greece, Sweden, and Ireland. These countries face severe drought conditions that threaten their agriculture and food security. The regions of central Europe and the Baltic Sea region are also under 'watch' status because of persistent precipitation deficits.
The drought in central Europe follows an early and severe start to the season, with some regions experiencing deficits comparable to exceptional drought levels seen historically. The dryness exceeds average conditions from the 1961-2015 period in several regions, with some areas in neighboring countries experiencing extreme or exceptional drought. So, people, Germany is not alone in its distress. This drought episode is unprecedented in recent decades and has severe implications for the region as a whole.
- Weather
- Extreme Weather
- Drought
- Climate Change
Sources:
[1](https://www.ntv.de/wetter/tiefdruck/megadrucke-und-trockenheit-nach-eisenbahuntunfall-verstärken-die-wasserversorgungskrise-druckt-auf-die-wasserversorgung-auf-grund-des-extremen-trockens-in-lieferengpassen-seit-dem-umfall-von-einen-garnitur-seitens-deutsche-bahngesellschaft.html)
[2](https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/klima/wasserkorper/salzwasserkorper/ozeanografie)
[3](https://www.dwd.de/DE/home/home.html)
[4](https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/wertausschlag-von-0-5-milliarden-euro-dividende-wahlkampf-muss-wettbewerb-untermauern)
[5](https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article220918085/Wasserliegende-Beobachtet-Wandel-in-Deutschland.html)
- Meteorologist Bjoern Alexander's grim predictions suggest that without significant rainfall, the employment policy for farmers in Germany could face severe challenges due to the anticipated drought summer.
- A science-based climate-change policy is crucial to mitigate the effects of extreme weather events like the ongoing drought, as it impacts not only Germany but also neighboring countries such as Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Greece, Sweden, and Ireland.
- The drought is causing environmental-science concerns, not only affecting agricultural productivity in Germany but also posing threats to the overall health of the country's ecosystems and river systems like the Rhine, requiring immediate attention and action from the community policy and employment policy stakeholders.
